Dr I-Fang Lee

Career Summary

Biography

Dr. I-Fang Lee joined the University of Newcastle in March 2012. Prior to that she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Early Childhood Education at the Hong Kong Institute of Education in Hong Kong from 2006-2012. I-Fang's current research trajectories focus on contemporary issues relating to changes and reforms in early childhood education and care, constructions of Asian childhoods, and global knowledge on appropriate pedagogical practices in the early years.

Research ExpertiseDr. I-Fang Lee's research trajectories focus on contemporary issues relating to changes and reforms in early childhood education and care, constructions of Asian childhoods, and global knowledge on appropriate pedagogical practices in the early years. I-Fang draws on critical theories and post-structural theoretical frameworks to reconceptualise and challenge mainstream socio-political rhetoric on reforms and policies through which a dominant construction of a desirable cosmopolitan childhood is fabricated. More recently, I-Fang seeks to illuminate the making of quality early childhood education and care in reform policies while unpacking constructions of social inclusion/exclusion to rethink issues concerning equity in the early years.

Teaching ExpertiseI-Fang teaches courses in early childhood education including diversity and inclusion, leadership and advocacy, approaches to early childhood education, contemporary issues and reforms in early childhood education.

Administrative ExpertiseI am currently Deputy Program Convenor of the Bachelor of Teaching Primary/Early Childhood Studies degree on Ourimbah campus. I am also a course coordinator for several undergraduate and master courses at both Ourimbah and Callaghan campuses at the University of Newcastle.

CollaborationsI-Fang Lee is a co-founder and a core member of the Global Childhoods Collective that is associated with the Global Childhoods project. This project aims to explore and understand the experiences of childhoods in Asia. The participating Asian cultural locations are Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand (in alphabetical order). Global Childhoods Project: http://www.globalchildhoods.net/ In 2010-2014, I-Fang was invited to become Velma E. Schmidt Fellow in the College of Education at the University of North Texas and became a member of the International Critical Childhood Studies Collaborative. The Collaborative is committed to social justice, peace, and equity for younger human beings. I-Fang is interested in international collaborations with researchers and RHD students on topics related to education and care in early years.

Qualifications

PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison - USA

Bachelor of Arts (Journalism), Ohio State University - USA

Master of Arts, Ohio State University - USA

Keywords

Contemporary Issues of Equity and Diversity in Early Years

Curriculum and Instruction in Early Childhood

Early Childhood Education Policies and Changes

Early Childhood Education Policy

Foundations of Early Childhood Education

Leadership and Advocacy in Early Years

Poststructuralism in Early Childhood

Languages

Cantonese (Fluent)

Mandarin (Fluent)

Fields of Research

Code

Description

Percentage

130102

Early Childhood Education (excl. Maori)

50

130299

Curriculum and Pedagogy not elsewhere classified

50

Professional Experience

UON Appointment

Title

Organisation / Department

Senior Lecturer

University of NewcastleSchool of EducationAustralia

Academic appointment

Dates

Title

Organisation / Department

1/08/2006 - 1/01/2012

Assistant Professor

The Hong Kong Institute of EducationDepartment of Early Childhood EducationHong Kong

Chapter (4 outputs)

Year

Citation

Altmetrics

Link

2014

Lee I, Nicola Yelland, 'The Global Childhood Project: Complexities of Learning and Living with a Bi-Literate and Trilingual Literacy Policy', Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Care and Education: Critical Questions, New Imaginaries and Social Activism, Peter Lang, New York 313-324 (2014) [B1]

Lee I-F, 'Global and Local Trends for Governance and Planning in Early Childhood Education and Care: Effects of Preschool Vouchers.', Childhoods: A Handbook, Peter Lang, New York, New York, U.S.A. 131-144 (2010) [B1]

Lee I-F, 'Illusions of Social Democracy: Early Childhood Educational Voucher Policies in Taiwan.', The Child in the World/the world in the Child: Education and the Configuration of a Universal, Modern, and Globalized Childhood, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, New York, U.S.A. 195-211 (2006) [B1]

Lee I-F, Tseng C-L, 'Cultural conflicts of the child-centered approach to early childhood education in Taiwan', Early Years: an international journal of research and development, 28 183-196 (2008) [C1]

Conference (5 outputs)

Year

Citation

Altmetrics

Link

2014

Lee I, Yelland N, 'Understanding contemporary childhoods and studenthoods in the Asia Pacific Region', The Power of Education Research for Innovation in Practice and Policy, Philadelphia, PA (2014) [E1]

Research Supervision

Current Supervision

Commenced

Research Title / Program / Supervisor Type

2014

The Representation of Life Outside Vietnam in 1st Year Technical University Textbooks in Hanoi and its Influence on Learners' Cultural Competence in English LearningCurriculum & Education Studies, Faculty of Education and ArtsCo-Supervisor

2013

Contributing to a Convivial Society in South Africa through Public Provisioning for Young Children: A Critical Discourse Analysis of ECD Policy between 1994-2014Curriculum & Education Studies, Faculty of Education and ArtsCo-Supervisor

2013

Examining the Power Effects that Influence Educator¿s Decision Making when Planning with the Early Years Learning FrameworkCurriculum & Education Studies, Faculty of Education and ArtsCo-Supervisor

2010

An Examination of the Discursive Construction of Academic 'Underachievement'Curriculum & Education Studies, Faculty of Education and ArtsCo-Supervisor